Protesters Repeatedly Interrupt Hakeem Jeffries At Democratic Event In Denver

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries was repeatedly interrupted by angry progressive protesters Friday at a Democratic conference in Denver, exposing tensions inside his party as he prepares to seek the House speakership.

Jeffries was appearing with Democratic strategist and Fox News personality Jessica Tarlov at the "What's Next" conference when roughly 10 protesters kept breaking into the discussion. The gathering, organized by Majority Democrats, brought party officials and strategists together after the party's midterm wins.

One man accused Jeffries of not fighting hard enough for progressive priorities. "You are a f***ing liar!" he shouted while Jeffries was speaking.

"The American people demanded impeachment!" he continued, criticizing how Democrats handled the effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

READ MORE: House Blocks Massie's Push to Impeach Hegseth in 211-204 Vote

'You're A Traitor'

Another protester shouted, "You're a f***ing traitor. You don't fight for the people," as security escorted him out of the venue.

The demonstrators raised a range of demands, including Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, an end to President Donald Trump's war with Iran and an arms embargo against Israel.

One challenged Jeffries over his ties to corporate interests. "Why should we trust you when you're in the pocket of corporations?" the protester shouted. "When you take money from private equity, you don't fight for the people."

Another told him, "I'm a young person, and I am scared for my future," while demanding action on Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. Outside the conference, more activists called for changes to Democratic leadership.

Other attendees tried to drown out the protesters by chanting Jeffries' first name as security removed them one by one. Jeffries mostly avoided engaging. "Remember, y'all, I grew up in Brooklyn," he said after one interruption. "This is light work."

A Rough Week For Jeffries

The confrontation capped a difficult stretch for Jeffries. On Tuesday, Democrats failed to stop Republicans from sending Rep. Thomas Massie's eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee.

READ MORE: Chris Van Hollen Challenges Schumer For Senate Democratic Leader As Bernie Sanders Backs Him

Jeffries had publicly declared himself a "hard yes" on impeaching Hegseth only days earlier. Eleven Democrats missed the 211-204 vote, helping Republicans sideline the effort for the rest of this Congress.

Democrats suffered another floor setback Wednesday involving a Republican-backed resolution condemning antisemitism. Those defeats raised questions about Democratic attendance and floor management as the party prepares to run the House in January.

'The Next Speaker'

Jeffries still defended his party's record in Denver. "We're going to have the largest majority that any party has had this century," he said. "In the last two years, we've worked hard to battle Republicans on every issue. They thought we would back down and not fight back, but of course we did."

Colorado Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse introduced him as "the next speaker of the House." Jeffries has no announced Democratic opponent for speaker and is expected to seek the nomination when House Democrats hold leadership elections.

Senate Democrats are fighting their own leadership battle, with Sen. Chris Van Hollen challenging Chuck Schumer. Van Hollen got a standing ovation at the same Denver gathering after discussing his bid. The scene showed that the party's midterm victories have not ended its internal ideological battles.